Laghurajswami Biography

Author(s): Manu Doshi
Publisher: Manu Doshi

Page 12

Shrimad: Who asks you to go there?
Devkaranji: Where is the alternative? Monks also have the stomach.
Shrimad: The stomach exists to a monk for people's well being. Had there been no stomach, no monk would go to the populace. They would stay in a cave and would move in the forest with total detachment. In that case they could not be helpful to the people. The stomach has therefore been given for the well being of populace.
While talking about meditation he said, "An ascetic visualizes what he contemplates during the meditation. If he contemplates of soul being a huge buffalo with the tail as large as this slab, the ascetic would visualize the soul of that type. But that is not soul; what knows it, is soul."
Once while all the monks were sitting in front of Shrimad under the mango tree, Mohanlalji said: "I take more time in tying Muhapatti after the meal and my Guru gives me penalty for that." On hearing that Shrimad asked all of them to remove Muhapatti and asked them not to tie the same within 40 miles of Idar. If anyone inquired about it, they were advised to satisfy him with peaceful explanation.
On the last day all the seven monks were waiting for Shrimad under the same mango tree, which was considered by them as the desire-yielding tree of the three worlds. Meanwhile Shrimad came and started leading all of them over a rough track strewn with thorns etc. He was moving fast. Thereupon the old monk Velshirakh thought whether Shrimad was going to leave someone behind. It was a hard track, yet Shrimad was moving ahead of all, while others were trailing behind.
Shrimad reached earlier and took the seat on a wide slab of stone. The monks also went there and sat after showing their reverence. Then he said, "There is a tiger nearby, but do not feel scared. This is Siddhasheela (abode of the liberated) and one, who is sitting on it, is Siddha (the liberated one). So saying he asked: "Since we are seated at this height, can a person at the foot see us?"
Lallujiswämi: "No, he cannot see us."
Shrimad: "Similarly a person belonging to a lower stage cannot accurately make out the state of the enlightened belonging to a higher stage. If, however, one becomes worthy and reaches the higher stage, he can make it out. Since we are at the top of the hill, we can see the whole town and other far off places, while the person at the foot can see only the area roundabout him. The enlightened being therefore suggests to the person below that if he comes up a little and sees, he can make out better."
Then he told the monks, "Assume the lotus posture like that of an omniscient Lord, listen to the stanzas of Dravyasangrah and try to make out their meanings." Accordingly all the monks assumed that posture and he started reciting the stanzas so excellently that the whole hill was reverberating. He recited the stanzas one after another while explaining the meaning and conveying its essence. He thus finished the whole Dravyasangrah; till then the monks stayed steadfast in the lotus posture.
Devkaranji felt very excited on that occasion and delightfully spoke out, "Of all the contacts with the great Guru so far, this was the superb. As the people fix a metal pitcher at the top of temple, so this occasion has become superbly beneficial. The explanation has occurred of the highest order."
Then Shrimad made a reference to Acharya Gunbhadra, the author of Atmänushäsan (Order of Soul) and said, "In the later part of the book the author has blossomed forth in wonderful enlightenment. That vividly explains the nature of soul" so saying he read it.
Under the same mango tree the Graceful Lord (Shrimad) once said, “Dear monks, the tendency of living beings may fall even from a high level. Due to devotion and detachment, the tendency and the state of Ambäläl had earlier been of a level that manifested various accomplishments. If we might have talked for three or four hours and asked him to bring it in writing the next day or the third day, he could bring it ad verbatim. His tendency has now been slack on account of indolence, greed etc. We knew 12 months before that this fault was going to arise."